Flashlight Buying Guide

What the best flashlight
has

LED bulbs. LEDs are far brighter and consume less battery power than incandescent
bulbs, with no burned-out bulbs to replace. All of our top flashlight picks use
LEDs that produce an attractive, white light (not the cheap, bluish glare
you'll endure from some LEDs).

Bright, useful light. The best flashlights easily adjust from soft to
bright and/or narrow to wide-beam, to suit the task at hand.

Long-lasting
power. This is where so
many flashlights fail: They shine brilliantly for a few minutes, then weaken
and die. The best flashlights can blast their brightest light for at least a
few hours on a fresh set of batteries (or a full charge).

Ease of use. When you're fumbling in the dark, you need a grab-and-go flashlight --
not fiddly controls, or a separate rechargeable battery that you have to find
and insert (the best rechargeable flashlights charge fully assembled).

Durability. We found a time-tested, nearly unbreakable flashlight for $20, and even a
$9 mini flashlight that owners say lasts for years. There's really no reason to
put up with a flimsy flashlight.

Strong warranty. Even in the $20 range, the best flashlights carry a
lifetime warranty.

Know before you
go

Size matters. Traditional full-size flashlights, like the top-rated MagLite LED 3-Cell D ST3D016(Est. $30), offer certain advantages. They throw the widest beams
(you'll be able to flood your whole backyard with light) as well as the longest
beams (more than a quarter-mile, with the MagLite 3-Cell). They're big enough
to swallow long-life D-cell batteries or hefty rechargeable cells, so you won't
be constantly replacing the batteries or recharging them.

Small
flashlights can be mighty, too. Thanks to today's
ultra-bright, ultra-efficient LEDs, even tiny flashlights can shine blindingly
bright. They can be just as rugged as full-size flashlights (or even more so).

Batteries or rechargeable?Traditional
replaceable-battery flashlights have one major advantage: no recharge time. If
your batteries die, you can just slip in a fresh set and get back to work.

But how often do you use your flashlight, on high,
for four hours straight? That's how long our top rechargeable flashlight pick
can go on a charge. Even our $9 cheap rechargeable pick lasts 3.5 hours on
High, and both last far longer on Low.

Rechargeable flashlights are mighty convenient.
You can keep them on their wall or car charger, so they're always charged up --
and you always know where they are -- when you need them. They shine just as
brightly as regular flashlights. Plus, you'll never have to buy batteries. Police
departments tend to prefer rechargeable MagLite MagCharger flashlights for
these reasons. However, you'll still want to keep a standard battery flashlight
on hand in case of an emergency -- most notably an extended power outage.

More
lumens aren't necessarily better. Some flashlights
promise outrageously high lumens (light output) -- but that doesn't necessarily
mean they'll actually look brighter to your eye. Also, mega-lumen flashlights
tend to gobble their batteries (sometimes in just minutes), leaving you with a
weak or dead flashlight.

Do
you need a tactical flashlight? Tactical
flashlights are trendy right now. Originally designed for military use, these
rugged, palm-sized flashlights shine super-bright, focused beams that can
temporarily blind an enemy. Some have toothed rims that turn them into
dangerous striking weapons. However, they're also expensive. If you really just
want a small, sturdy, useful flashlight, the ultra-reliable, incredibly tough
$20 Mini MagLite Pro(Est. $22) may be all you need.

Don't
judge by price. We found that $100-plus flashlights are
a total waste of money for the vast majority of people. They aren't tougher,
brighter or more reliable than our top picks.

Do
judge by brand. Very rarely is this true, but it works
with flashlights. MagLite, Streamlight and Energizer make our top flashlight
picks; we found that flashlights made by these brands earn consistently good
reviews.

ConsumerSearch editors personally research every product category to recommend the best choices. Expert review sources are heavily weighted, but user reviews, especially those where durability or usability are a factor, are crucial to helping us finalize our top picks.

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